Jump to content

Border Crossing Pool


iceman
 Share

Recommended Posts

I had a day for more exploring, looking for that secret passage into Quebec. Needed to get to a remote pond on the border, I found it, finally.   Had to cross a large gully , 4x4 across the brook where Border Patrol took out the bridge. That got me to the old road to the pond, said road blocked off by small boulders at the pond entrance. 

Just a quick sled ride down the pond, pick up the old road and over the border, onto Arnold Bog near Woburn, and quick ride to Lac Megantic. 

Now need some volunteers to canoe up the pond, drag  the canoe to Arnold Bog, and then keep walking north. Then wait in Quebec for five days to see if the authorities are looking for you.  Benedict Arnold did it, kind of. 

There is a heavy Border Patrol presence in the nearby town, but I never see them more than two miles off the paved roads. This area is a lot of miles into the back country.  

mike

 

IMG_0006.JPG

IMG_0084.JPG

IMG_0081.JPG

IMG_0083.JPG

Edited by mikerider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Article posted today regarding timing of future border opening.

1. Really hope the border will open by January 1, 2021 so all our American friends can ride Quebec.

2. Be interesting to know the percentage of permit $ sales that is from American riders? It has to be significant. Because most US riders are usually coming for a week trip the $ spend on lodging, food and gas is significantly more than the typical Quebec citizen permit holder. 

3. Always figured many of the motels, lodges, gas stations etc weren’t much more than surviving in the past years when  things were normal. 

4. Believe it was on Dootalk was reading people are booking lodging in Maine now and supply is already very tight.

Hoping for a positive change soon so we can get back to normal soon for the benefit of everyone for the long term good of Quebec Sledding

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/covid-19-divide-northern-wall-between-u-s-canada-could-stay-up-longer-than-anyone-expected-1.5087444

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quebec has 132 new cases in a day, no better than any New England state, actually some in New England are better than that. Who really knows what January will bring. If it opens I will be one of the first ones over the border.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, quebec bob said:

Quebec has 132 new cases in a day, no better than any New England state, actually some in New England are better than that. Who really knows what January will bring. If it opens I will be one of the first ones over the border.

Yeah it varies some days as low as 40-60 new cases BUT Kids are just going back to school now and already there has been a few cases linked to that, so unfortunately it is likely to rise as we get into fall here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

It’s gonna be at least January I believe. 

 

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1734110/canada-etats-unis-prolongation-fermeture-frontiere-octobre?fbclid=IwAR0R-NB5udxby5q9De0e9mKSuU9WOK0ZWAEhEuGrxxpRBVL2hejQvJhhxbM

 

The federal government will extend the closure of the land border between Canada and the United States for an additional 30 days until Oct. 21, according to CBC.

 A source who requested anonymity told CBC the borders would remain closed longer.

 Ottawa is waiting to see evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is being managed effectively before considering allowing non-essential travel between the two countries.

 The border has been closed to this type of travel since March.  With the number of cases still high in many U.S. states, the two governments have mutually agreed to continue restricting movement across their borders.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, Bigbluemachine said:

If it is a good winter this will have long lasting effects on US tourism in Canada. Sad.

Adapt is right. With all due respect while you are 100% right about sledders re-engaging in areas besides Quebec because of the border closed. Once you have ridden Quebec it’s extremely hard to go to anywhere else, now I know that Maine for sure has some nice trail(though I have never been there) and I never been to the UP so that I can only go by what I have heard. But as far as NY and Vermont, New Hampshire. You cannot compare any of these networks to Quebec. I would be up on a bridge somewhere ready to jump if I was in the states and could not get to Quebec to ride due to border closed and very much understand how the real Quebecriders are feeling.....Sledders need to sled it’s a special time of the year. That said those who ride Quebec and are riders. Will be back. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, poltodoo said:

 

If it happens in January it will be with a negative test result in hand IMO

 

 

Not sure how reliable these tests are, false positives, false negatives everywhere 

This is better than a quarantine, however, it does complicate things. 

But works many countries in the Caribbean are doing this. For incoming tourists, Barbados, St Lucia, etc..

But what about going back to say NY after a Quebec trip? Is there a quarantine on return? 

It’s all crazy. 

If October brings aliens invading the earth, nothing would shock me at this point. 

Look around at the craziness. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I here you Iceman that is why its sad. I have been going since 1994 and have developed friendships that go beyond snowmobiling. Had to cancel my summer trip too, so I get it, but like you say have to ride. Hoping we can get at least February and March which are the best times anyway. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just happens I was up again in the big Maine wilderness backwoods exploring. I also went back to the pond on the border and this time launched the kayak. The pond is only about 3/10's a mile long. BUT, on the north end I found a very small stream that heads north, I went about a tenth of a mile up the stream before turning around, worried I would set off border sensors, as I should have been right at the borders of Quebec and Maine. The stream is shallow and hardly any current.  This stream will be our road north, We are golden sneaking into Canada this winter!!!

I was a little worried as I walked through the trail carrying my kayak down to the pond and heard a plane buzz me. Got out on the pond and a large white helicopter made a few passes looking down at me from the Quebec side of the border.  Tried to get a pic of the copter but the sun washed out my view screen and I was zoomed out to the camera's max. Strange having a copter here as it, I believe, is also very remote  on the Quebec side.  Border Patrol has a large presence nearby but I have never once seen them up in this far back country.

I saw no cameras or sensors although most likely they are well hidden.

Brought my fly rod, got a brook trout on every cast, but they were small.

mike

Oops, posting the pics and realized I did get a shot of the copter.                                                                                                                                                                                                     (Can anyone from Quebec identify the copter from its colors?    -police, military, Quebec version of CIA-)

 

IMG_0038.JPG

IMG_0047.JPG

IMG_0041.JPG

IMG_0046.JPG

IMG_0034.JPG

IMG_0042.JPG

Edited by mikerider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, mikerider said:

 (Can anyone from Quebec identify the copter from its colors?    -police, military, Quebec version of CIA-)

I say RCMP/GRC chopper

gonna have to ride through fast

(not sure you will outrun the radio)

D0042063-2902-4264-849E-10453BA24FF8.jpeg.3f53dc464d9c4be56c226e1d3f92958b.jpeg5477823B-173E-4F3E-99CE-8429D104C752.jpeg.7ddfa2f7d082033625581340b7344254.jpeg

 

Edited by iceman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rut Row,   Ice, I think you nailed it.  There now is probably a wanted poster of me and my kayak at the official border crossing.  I must have tripped a sensor.   From the time I arrived to launch and carrying the kayak to the pond, loading it with gear, and rowing out to the middle when I started to see the copter make passes was probably half an hour. Maybe flew in from Lac Megantic.  Any lawyers on QuebecRider?

 

Joe,    If I switched to bass I would have to give up  good wine for cheap beer.    lol

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, iceman said:

Adapt is right. With all due respect while you are 100% right about sledders re-engaging in areas besides Quebec because of the border closed. Once you have ridden Quebec it’s extremely hard to go to anywhere else, now I know that Maine for sure has some nice trail(though I have never been there) and I never been to the UP so that I can only go by what I have heard. But as far as NY and Vermont, New Hampshire. You cannot compare any of these networks to Quebec. I would be up on a bridge somewhere ready to jump if I was in the states and could not get to Quebec to ride due to border closed and very much understand how the real Quebecriders are feeling.....Sledders need to sled it’s a special time of the year. That said those who ride Quebec and are riders. Will be back. 

We just booked our January trip for Maine. This would be 18-20 yrs that we have done our January trip in Quebec with the same group of guys. With the uncertainty with crossing the border we decided to do Maine. Maybe February or March we can get back to the Real thing ! Thinking about Wyoming in February with the bride, it’s been 25 years. We were there for our 10th wedding anniversary. Man time flies ! !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For sure there’s no spot for typical Quebec riders in the states and it’s not an easy transition to make if u need to. I’m fortunate that I have a home and off grid camp in Vermont and I’m perfectly happy acting like the people we see in la tuque and monts valin who load up there sleds with all the supplies they need for the weekend.

its very similar to what groomer posts about his camp. You load up all the food, beverage and supplies u need. Once u ride into camp it’s probably 10 degrees inside, so u light the wood stove and start to unpack and settle in. Before u know it, it’s 80 inside and dinner is ready, as are the drinks. After an early breakfast, u get in a good ride before the crowd comes out. Later in the day, you ride to all the other local camps and socialize. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed and look forward to doing, even more so this year...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...